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Kramberger: West Island Community Shares seeks ways to make a bigger difference

Author of the article:

Albert Kramberger • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date:

February 6, 2019 • 3 minute read

On Jan. 28, WICS celebrated 15 years of its signature fundraiser, the Red & White Benefit Evening. About 270 local business and community leaders attended the event, which raised $141,000. Since its creation in 2005, the Red & White Benefit Evening has raised about $1.9 million.Tim Snow

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McCann, a Pointe-Claire resident and mother of three, previously worked with WICS as a communications and graphics advisor and helped organize its fundraising event Obstafun.

In fact, she’s been aware of WICS since the beginning. At that point in time, she was working at Kirkland-based Pfizer – one of WICS’ original corporate sponsors in 1998.

WICS’s annual fundraising campaign, which wraps up at the end of March, aims to raise $1.3 million. The campaign was given a boost by last week’s Red & White Benefit Evening that raised $141,000.

Over its 15 years, the Red & White gala, a signature fundraiser for WICS attended by local business and community leaders, has raised collected close to $1.9 million.

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For several years, annual donations for the organization have hovered between $1.2 and $1.3 million. McCann said her goal is to be able to develop and promote new fundraising initiatives to top that amount and perhaps increase the number of local groups WICS supports.

“We’ve been at 40 groups for a while. The amount we raise has been at about the same for a while,” McCann said. “Before we accept any new groups, we want to make sure we take care of the ones we currently have. Before we accept new groups, we have to increase our revenue.”

WICS has had to turn down requests from new groups in order to maintain the support already offered to its existing list of community groups, McCann said.

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“My personal goal, is (to find) new money basically,” she said. “What is it I need to do to get over the hump of $1.2 million? We seem to be stuck there. I’m trying to figure out how can we go over the hump and (grow).”

McCann said she wants to organize new fundraising events that are accessible and appeal to the general public and families. In part, this will help foster more donations but it will also increase public awareness of WICS and the groups it backs year-to-year, she noted.

“I want to people to know more about WICS. To get the word out,” McCann said. “The objective is to have more general public events.”

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WICS is planning to transform its Salon des vins spring event into a wine and foodie show in order to appeal to a wider audience. As well, it is planning a major Octoberfest event.

“I think that previous directors have done a really good job at getting corporate partners,” McCann said. “We have some of the bigger players in the West Island (already on board).

“I’m still evaluating. But I find we are somewhat lacking in (areas that don’t) have a connection with one of those big companies. How do they hear about us and what have they heard about us? Maybe we need to do a better job explaining who we are and what we do.”

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Developing even closer ties with the 40 groups WICS supports for fundraising events will be another objective, McCann said.

Since 1998, WICS has raised about $13 million.

Because corporate partners cover operational costs, 100 percent of donations raised go to the various community groups that help around 65,000 West Islanders struggling with hunger, cancer, depression, substance abuse or other issues.

“When we collect funds, people don’t have to worry. They know that all their dollars go directly to the groups,” McCann noted.

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